Despite what you may tell potential employers, money is the real reason why we all want jobs. Learning new skills, gaining professional experience and working on interesting projects is all great, don’t get us wrong. But at the end of the day many of us will go where the money is- and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Programmers and web developers are always well paid and in high demand, but some are more valuable than others year on year. It’s all because of new languages emerging on the scene, new tech innovations and developments, economic factors and a whole host of other things. Will you be searching for a programming job in 2017? Then check out these very well paid programming languages for a start…

Java

Average Salary: $115,000+

Java is far too ubiquitous to ever go away. Writing code once and running it on any platform is a hard process to beat, and nobody has done it yet. But surely there must be enough Java developers in the world to make up the population of a small country? Probably, but here’s the thing; Java is not an easy language to master. It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to become a really, really good Java developer. So once you finally reach that level, it’s only right that you’re rewarded for your efforts with a cool $115,000 a year (and then some).

Python

Average Salary: $100,000+

It may be a relatively new kid on the block, but Python has proved its worth and its power over the past few years. Now the standard ‘starter’ language on many a computer programming university course and used by the likes of Google and NASA, it’s definitely going places. Python developers, once they move a step or two up the career ladder, can easily earn a minimum of six figures. And the best part? It’s a simple, versatile, very readable language that’s not difficult at all to pick up.

R

Average Salary: $100,000+

$100,000 for a language barely anybody knows, we hear you say? Well, yes. R is a highly specialised language used mainly for statistics and data analysis. Companies collecting lots of data will pay a lot of money for an R expert, because they’re not easy to find. If you’re good with numbers and have an interest in data science, quite frankly you’d be an idiot not to go for R. Just be prepared; it’s a steep learning curve, but a rewarding one.

Objective C, C#

Average Salary: $90,000+

The C language family has wide ranging uses and salaries, but C# developers can confidently expect upwards of $90,000. Objective C developers will earn roughly the same salary… for now. Used by Apple to develop its desktop and mobile platforms, it’s about to be overtaken by Swift. C# however is a general-purpose language used by virtually everyone for everything, so you can always bank on making bank with it. Neither would be considered easy to learn compared to readable languages like Python, but both can be grasped with a little work.

JavaScript

Average Salary: $90,000+

JavaScript is one of the vital components of the World Wide Web, so there’s always a guaranteed job for anyone who wants to go down that route… and a well paid job at that. Senior Java Developers can expect at least $90,000 and junior developers will also have more than enough to live on. The web is constantly evolving and websites are constantly trying to keep up with it, so it’s a very exciting and challenging area to work in. Well worth the money, in other words.

Perl

Average Salary: $80,000+

Perl is one of the most versatile languages around, most often used for graphics programming and system administration (two very different areas that prove our first statement to be true!). Because it can be used in various ways there are various ‘pearly’ salaries on the payscale, but all of them are good. An experienced Perl developer can expect $80,000 a year and up. It’s versatility also means that Perl programmers are always in demand. That said, it’s a very new language with a not yet certain future. But if you want to make a quick buck now, it’s the way to go.

C

Average Salary: $70,000+

Why do C programmers earn less than those specialising in other C languages? They all come from the same family after all, but the truth is some of the C family members are just more versatile and more in-demand than others. That said, C is the grandfather of modern computing still a very useful language. That’s why C programmers can earn $70,000 and above. It may not reach the dizzying heights of a Java developer’s bank account, but it’s not too shabby, is it?

Ruby

Average salary: $60,000+

Many programmers consider Ruby to be a modern update of C and Perl. It’s simple to use, easy to learn, and a great starter language. In fact, even entry level developers can earn $60,000 and senior developers can almost hit the six figure mark. Furthermore, Ruby and its counterpart Ruby on Rails is basically the darling of the start-up and SME world right now. Which means it’s very easy to find a job, gain experience, and quickly move up the ranks. Definitely one to consider.